Several hours passed since the sudden appearance of some of the Long Strides crew and other passengers, Everyone had settled in while the courtyard had been cleared of most of the debris and other detritus, only the larger parts remaining as they would need a small crew to clear. Unfortunately, a few guards and several crewmembers were missing and others that had arrived did not make it through their sustained injuries. Most of the other who were injured were either heading home or in the medical wing of the castle. Luna was still busy gathering information as was her older sister.

Much of the information was very worrying to the Solar Princess. The group of sisters all sat silently as Blossom Forth informed the Princess about Percival's behaviour prior to and after the encounter with what he referred to as the 'Kraken'. However, no one has ever heard of such a creature destroying every ship at sea. Regardless of whether it was in the air or seabound. However, Percival's behaviour of locking himself in his room for hours at a time until the day they found the Princess of Saddle Arabia, whom the Princesses would have to check on, was interesting news. Even if it was, in his words, a "pet project".

Most disturbing, however, were Blossomforth’s accounts of two enormous metal spectral forms locked in battle with the Kraken, and of Ghost somehow creating the portal that had brought them here. It was hard to comprehend how Ghost could have had access to such a power, nor could anyone explain how Percival had summoned such monstrous abilities, something seemingly beyond even his known skills. Too many questions, with too few answers.

After the family reunion and ensuring that the remaining crew received medical care, Celestia guided her niece to her private chambers, satisfied that Shining Armor was safe. Her aim was to comfort Cadence and to glean any further insights into the mission's misfortunes. So far, Cadence’s account offered little beyond what Celestia already knew, but her presence was still reassuring.

"This is all deeply troubling, my dear," Celestia said gently, taking a sip of tea. Across from her, Cadence absently stirred her own cup, her brow furrowed.

"You don’t know the half of it," Cadence sighed. "I’d heard of how Percival defeated Discord even in a seemingly exhausted state, yet this creature's mere presence unsettled him."

"And how large was it, exactly?" Celestia asked, carefully maintaining her composure.

"We were still hundreds of feet in the air, even after descending, and we barely came to its chest," Cadence replied, shivering at the memory. "If not for Percival, we wouldn’t have survived."

"And... the spectres he summoned?" Celestia inquired, her tone calm yet intense.

"On par at least, maybe slightly shorter," Cadence said, her response quick. "But even they only stalled it briefly. I can’t see how he could hope to defeat something of that big by himself."

"Concerning, indeed," Celestia murmured, closing her eyes and inwardly willing herself to believe that Percival would manage. Opening her eyes, she turned a caring gaze toward her niece. "But I sense there’s something more on your mind, isn’t there?"

"Am I that obvious?" Cadence asked, attempting a small smile.

"My dear, I’ve known you your entire life. I’d like to think I can read you as easily as an open book," Celestia replied with a gentle smile. "So, what else troubles you?"

Cadence bit her lip, hesitating before letting out a sigh. "Before the attack, Shining, the Captain, his first mate, Percival, Ghost, and I were sharing drinks, relaxing, and talking. Somehow, the conversation turned to injuries we’d sustained over the years—though mostly it was the Captain, Skipper, and Percival recounting theirs. I noticed an old scar on Percival’s arm and asked about it."

Cadence paused, lost in the memory of Percival’s unsettling tale, his hollow smile, and the distant look in his eyes as he spoke. She summarized the story briefly, holding Celestia’s attention, before continuing. "But it wasn’t the story itself that’s unsettling me, though it was... disturbing. It was the date he gave for when it happened."

Celestia’s expression softened as she set her tea aside, reaching out to hold Cadence’s hands gently. "What date did he mention, dear?"

"June the twenty-ninth....nineteen forty-five," Cadence whispered.

Celestia’s eyes briefly widened, a flicker of shock breaking her usually calm demeanour. Nineteen forty-five was, if the history and dating records were correct and she was sure they were, more than ninety thousand years ago. Even her own parents had not lived beyond fifteen thousand years. Such an ancient being would possess knowledge from civilizations long forgotten, knowledge that could prove invaluable to Equestria and beyond.

Before Celestia could dwell further, a soft "pop" of teleportation filled the room, and both women turned to see Luna standing near the door.

"Any news?" Celestia asked.

"None, regrettably," Luna replied, rubbing her eyes as she joined them at the table. "At least, nothing beyond what you both are already aware of. And it’s all extremely troubling."

"That’s what I’ve been saying," Cadence sighed.

Luna was about to continue before pausing as all the Princess's ears picked up the sound of quickly approaching footsteps and they sounded frantic. The doors suddenly opened as a Guard burst through, his breath heavy and ragged. And he was pale.

"Your Majesties!" He panted, stopping to catch his breath.

The three Princesses rose to their feet as Luna stepped forward, placing a glowing hand on his shoulder to relieve his exhaustion.

"Thank you, Your Highness," The Guard said, straightening up. "Sir Felwinter has returned. He awaits you in the throne room."

Their hearts skipped a beat. "That is excellent news!" Luna exclaimed. "We must go to him at once."

"One thing, Your Highnesses," the guard added with a grim look. "He arrived in... a rather gruesome condition. A few of the Guards have already lost their lunch."

With a crisp salute, he departed, leaving the Princesses exchanging uneasy glances. Wordlessly, they nodded to each other and teleported to the throne room. Appearing just inside the grand hall, they found guards clustered together, frozen in shock, some barely able to look while one off to the side seemed to still be retching deeply. As the Princesses approached, the group parted, reluctantly revealing the scene ahead. What lay before them was a vision of untold horror that even they were unprepared for despite their long years.

"Ride the planks and beat the sea
On our quest to lands unknown
Gone for praise and sanctity
All to give our flesh and bone

Onward into foreign seas
With no fear and no regret
Heavy and with thorns equipped
The crown upon our heads

They believe that the lord will rise
And in heaven we all roam
By the grace of god, we die alone

All aboard, kissed by the iron fist
We are sainted by the storm
Facing the wind, for we all have sinned
We are tainted and forlorn
For the wild, for the night
For the land and the fight
Seventy feet for the iron greed
We are sainted by the night!"

"Fuck this thing stinks!"

Sitting up from where I lay, I stretched out, feeling every stiff joint and sore muscle protest. The last time I had poured this much energy into a fight was before I came back and even then, the fight with the Kraken hadn't been nearly as much as then, but it was at the very least comparable. So draining myself like that again so soon was rough, and my body was letting me know, protesting even the smallest movements. I had hoped that I wouldn't have had to resort to transforming, but that beast was every bit as powerful as some of the strongest Ancient Demons I’d battled years ago. It left me with little choice. I was just relieved everyone was far away, unable to witness the change. The last time anyone saw me like that, things got ugly.

Rolling my shoulders, I gazed out at the vast, now-stilled ocean. Since the Kraken’s defeat, the waters had calmed considerably, and the clouds had completely cleared, revealing a deep, starry sky. Unfortunately, my navigation skills aren’t much to boast about; deciphering my location was out of the question. In this situation, my best option was simply to choose a direction and keep going straight. I’d make landfall. Eventually.

I leaned against a thick chunk of the creature’s flesh, scales, and blubber, steadying myself as I prepared to attach my peg leg. Just then, a sharp whistle broke through the silence, drawing my attention. I glanced around, and there, atop an adjacent piece of the fallen beast, stood the shadowed figure from before. His dull, almost ghostly yellow coat fluttered in the gentle wind as he reached for his katana, slicing through the air and creating a portal similar to the one Ghost had made—but this one looked equally drained of colour. He gave me a brief, sharp look, then pointed the pommel of his sword toward the shimmering portal. For a moment, I thought I saw a faint smirk on his face before he vanished like sand swept away by the breeze.

“Well, I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth,” I muttered, shrugging. Flexing my back, I summoned my wings and launched myself toward the portal. Just as I neared it, an awful, wet gurgling sound rose behind me. In an instant, I was flung upward, landing hard in the ocean next to a smaller chunk of flesh. I dragged myself onto it and looked around, watching the Kraken’s remains bubble and burst. The portal flickered, its edges starting to close.

“Oh, come on, I was right there man!” I shouted, frustration bubbling up alongside the sea.

Flying through the portal dropped me directly into the throne room of Canterlot. I soared through the air, colliding with the twin thrones of Celestia and Luna, splintering them as I crashed through, skidding to a halt only after slamming into the wall. Dazed, I looked up just in time to see one of the Kraken’s massive fangs follow through the portal, skidding across the throne room floor. Fortunately, the room was empty, but the fang alone took up most of the space, even after it fractured into pieces upon impact. It wasn’t long before a squad of Guards burst through the doors, freezing in shock at the sight: me, bloody and beaten, lying beside a giant Kraken tooth. Definitely not the most reassuring scene to walk into.

“Sir Felwinter!” One Guard shouted, his voice filled with shock. “Doctor! Somebody get a doctor!” He called urgently.

With considerable effort, I pulled myself free from the wall and collapsed to the floor, drawing the Guards’ immediate attention as they rushed over. “Don’t!” I barked, my voice slurred. With a quirked brow, I raised a hand to my jaw, feeling it hang loosely from my face. Signalling for the Guards to wait, I grasped it, jostling it into place until it felt somewhat secure.

“Inform Celestia and Luna that I’m here,” I commanded, gesturing to one of the guards.

Their eyes widened as they stared at my arm in horror. Confused, I looked down to see the cause of their alarm: parts of my bone were visible, with skin and muscle shredded away. But it was healing, slowly knitting itself back together. Glancing lower, I noticed that some of my organs were exposed, my ribs partly visible. I think some parts of my skull might have been exposed as well. Given my condition, it was easy to see the Guards clearly feared I wouldn’t last long. Wet sounds of retching filled the room as they took in the sight told me they weren't used to such sights while I barely reacted being as desensitized as I was. Hell, I barely even felt it.

I noticed none of them had moved. “That’s an order!” I snapped, hobbling down to the bottom of the steps and leaning against them to let my healing kick in properly.

Several guards finally scattered—some, I hoped, were going to alert Celestia and Luna, while others likely sought reinforcements. “Sir, let us help you!” One of the Guards insisted, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I shook him off, lifting my arm for them to see more closely. “Look again,” I said, holding up my arm. “I'm healing.” They watched in silent awe as the horrendously damaged flesh continued to regenerate, continuing at a slowly building pace. “I’ll be fine. Trust me. I just need a bubble bath and a good scrub,” I added with a groan, leaning my head back against the steps, closing my eyes and letting out a weary exhale.

The sharp pop of teleportation reached my ears just as I glanced up, spotting a trio of Princesses arriving with palpable urgency etched into their expressions.

"Percival!" they cried in unison. The Guards instinctively stepped back as the three royal figures surged toward me. I managed a soft, nonchalant salute despite the weight of their concern.

"Är du okej?!" Luna exclaimed, her voice tight with worry.

"Language," Celestia chided gently, her tone carrying both calm and reproach.

"I've been worse," I replied with a faint shrug, gesturing to my slowly mending wounds.

Celestia’s eyes narrowed in disbelief. "Worse? How could—" She cut herself off with a shake of her head. "No. We can help."

Their combined magic flared to life, a symphony of light and warmth that swept over me. In mere seconds, my injuries closed, knit together by their expert spells. The rush of restorative energy flooded my weary body, chasing away the exhaustion that had clung to me since the battle’s end. I let out a long sigh, the relief almost intoxicating.

"Thank you," I said with a nod as they stepped back, the tension in their faces easing ever so slightly.

"Percival," Celestia began, her voice tinged with incredulity, "how are you even alive? Wounds like those should have left you in a coma at best—if not worse."

I offered a faint smirk. "What can I say? I'm built different."

Luna raised an eyebrow but couldn’t suppress the ghost of a smile. "Be that as it may, it is nothing short of a miracle. Is the beast dead?"

I gestured over my shoulder. "Does the tooth not make it obvious?"

Luna glanced in the direction of the jagged leviathan’s tooth, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Point well taken."

Cadence, kneeling before me, spoke softly. "Why didn’t you return with everyone else?"

I sighed, shifting to sit up straighter. My hand pressed against my back, eliciting a chorus of sharp cracks and pops as I twisted to shake off the lingering stiffness. "I stayed behind to make sure no one else got hurt. If I hadn't, things might've been worse for everyone else."

My gaze hardened as I continued. "I had two choices: return with them and let that monster continue wreaking havoc across the seas, or stay and do my job."

Celestia’s expression darkened, her eyes briefly flicking to the Guards. "Leave us," She commanded firmly. The room cleared in moments, and her gaze settled back on me, now filled with a sombre intensity. "There is an old saying: the more you give, the more you will gain in return. This is the way to invite harmony into one’s soul. Yet, there are those who give too much—so much that they lose themselves in the process. Are you truly willing to sacrifice everything, every part of what makes you who you are, even your soul, just for the sake of others?" She asked.

Luna added quietly, her gaze flickering between Celestia and me. "Speaking from experience... it’s not worth it."

I met their eyes, unflinching. "Maybe you’re right. But If I can spare even one person from the pain of losing someone they love, I will do whatever it takes. Every single time," My voice softened as I unconsciously ran my thumb over the ring on my finger, a bittersweet weight settling in my chest.

I straightened, my resolve hardening. "If that means staying behind every time, putting myself in harm’s way, so be it. Because if anyone else had stayed, they would’ve died. I made the call to send them back to Canterlot."

Cadence’s brow furrowed in concern as she kneeled in front of me. "Percival, that kind of thinking—constantly putting yourself in danger—will take a devastating toll on you, physically and mentally."

I met her gaze with a quiet intensity. "Cadence, I came into this world kicking and screaming, covered in someone else’s blood. I’m not afraid to leave the same way."

The three Princesses exchanged uneasy glances, a shared discomfort settling among them. Finally, Celestia broke the silence, shaking her head. "You have a way of saying things that are... deeply unsettling, Percival. But it’s the lack of context behind your words that concerns me most."

Her tone shifted to one of professional inquiry. "Regardless, we need your report. Was the Kraken truly as powerful as they say?"

"It was," I glanced back at the massive tooth behind me. "Stronger than I anticipated. Honestly? I think I got lucky." My expression darkened. "Don’t ask me for details. It wasn’t pretty. I burned through so much energy just keeping its attention off the ship. Most of the fight was just me on the run."

Celestia nodded thoughtfully. "We’ve received detailed accounts from the crew, the Elements, and Cadence herself. These ‘spectres’ you summoned—how is it we’ve never heard of this ability before?"

I smirked faintly. "Because of their nature. Unlike illusions conjured by most Unicorns, mine are solid, tangible constructs. They can cause collateral damage—to both structures and people. That’s a risk I can’t take lightly. Plus, they’re a massive drain on my energy reserves. Using them without proper support isn’t practical and I can’t sustain them for any longer than ten minutes. "

Both Celestia and Luna seemed to consider my explanation carefully, their expressions solemn. Cadence, however, continued to look at me with quiet worry.

"Fair reasoning," Celestia conceded. "You’ve given us much to reflect on. But congratulations are in order—you succeeded in your mission. You’ll be glad to know most of the crew is safe. Captain Broadside, however, has decided this was his last voyage."

"Can’t blame him," I replied with a dry chuckle. A thought struck me then, and I glanced around, a faint unease creeping into my chest. "Speaking of... where’s Ghost?"

The Princesses exchanged grim looks, hesitation clear in their expressions before Luna finally spoke. "Ghost is in the infirmary."

The words hit me like lightning. Without hesitation, I bamfed my prosthetic leg into my hand, twisting it into place and strapping it down with practised efficiency. Rising to my feet, I locked eyes with them, my voice steady but demanding.

"Where is he?"

~~

Sitting at the edge of Ghost’s bed, I watched his still form intently, relief washing over me with every faint rise and fall of his chest. Cranial scans showed brain activity. It wasn't much, but it was, at least the very least, proof that he was alive, if unresponsive. The Doctors and Nurses were at a loss, unable to explain what had caused this state. But I knew.

Behind me, Yamato leaned silently against the wall, its blade seemingly dormant and inert, as lifeless as the man lying in the bed before me. Yamato had always been a temperamental artefact, selective in ways that bordered on sentience. I still remember what happened the last time someone other than its original master tried to wield it. The last time someone who wasn't the original wielder used it never woke up again. I was so far the only exception and even then, it never properly worked.

"Can anything be done?"

The Princesses shared a look. "Unfortunately not," Celestia replied softly. "There is some sort of mental block preventing us from accessing his mind. Even his Dreamscape is totally inaccessible to us."

I exhaled deeply, letting my hand rest gently on Ghost’s forearm. "So all we can do is wait."

"If there was something we could do, we wouldn't hesitate to do it," Luna added.

Sensing the weight of my silence, each Princess stepped closer, each laying a comforting hand on my shoulders before retreating toward the doorway. Just as they were about to leave, I spoke up.

"Celestia?"

The elder Princess paused, sharing a brief look with her sister and niece before gesturing for them to go on ahead. She stepped closer. “What is it?”

I took in a breath as I kept my eye on my brother-in-arms. "Why did you let Cadence on the mission?"

Celestia looked at me for a moment, her expression softening as she smiled warmly. "Cadence specifically asked me to refrain from telling you, but I feel you should know," She said. "As you know, Because of your act in saving her, she requested to go with you on your mission. Luna and I both realized rather quickly that she saw how strong and selfless you were and most likely felt safe being near you."

Her gaze grew distant for a moment before she added, “You remind me of someone. Someone very much like you.”

The name caught me off guard, my eyebrows rising as I turned to face her fully. Celestia’s expression was warm, holding a hint of nostalgia. "Who would that be?"

"Vihaan," She replied, pulling a chair over and sitting next to me. My eyebrows raised at the name as I turned to look at her. She smiled softly at me. "Selfless, strong, serious when you need to be but bringing levity when you can. You remind me a lot of him."

"I've read about him. I would have liked to meet him. Him and Durin," I said quietly.

"I think you would have gotten along swimmingly," She said, giggling slightly. "Or not at all. No in-between."

"What was he like?" I asked. "Durin, I mean."

“Stressed,” She admitted with a light laugh as her smile grew wistful. “Durin was...a burdened man, but he was steadfast. He was a rock for all of us—a brother, a dear friend, a symbol of hope. He carried more than his share of the weight, and yet he never faltered. And he had a wicked sense of humour,” She added with a small laugh. “The history books portray him as a larger-than-life figure who could move the stars, but really he was just a man. Juggling his personal life of being married with several children alongside his professional life of fighting, training and counselling."

"I'm surprised he didn't go grey young," She added with a small laugh.

"Sounds like you were rather fond of them," I commented.

“They were uncles to us,” Celestia said softly. “To me, to Luna, and to the rest of our siblings. Their presence shaped who we are. And who we would have been,” She paused, her voice growing tender. “But enough of that. You need rest. You’ve done more than your share.”

She stood, her chair scraping lightly against the floor as she pushed it back. With a final smile, she turned and left the room, her steps quiet but deliberate.

I turned back to Ghost, my gaze lingering on his face, now exposed and unguarded. It was the first time I had seen him without his mask, and I wished desperately that it could have been under better circumstances. Fidgeting with the smooth golden band around my finger, I felt a familiar weight settle over me—a mixture of grief and guilt. My shoulders slumped, and I released a shaky sigh, the sound barely audible in the stillness of the room.

"Please be okay," I said softly. "I can't lose anyone else."

Author's Note

Seems the Yamato took a lot out of our boy Ghost, let's hope he makes a speedy recovery

By the by, a revised version of chapter 12 was put out yesterday, as said there, expect the same to be done for some other chapter over time
Not much else to say, just looking forward to some things I have planned out

Please point out any mistakes I may have made
Constructive criticism is always appreciated
Until next time, TTFN!